LEWISTON – Gerard N. Lamiette Sr., A.F.D. deputy chief (retired), 73, died Sunday, April 8, at CMMC, following several years of declining health.

He was born in Auburn, Jan. 14, 1934, the son of Harold G. and Irene (Davis) Lamiette. He was educated in Auburn and California schools, and served in both the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict, aboard the USS Preston – DD795, and in the United States Air Force, as crew chief on the flight line, at Clark Air Force Base, the Philippines. He was discharged in 1959 with the rank of staff sergeant. He was a member of the Auburn Fire Department for 25 years, rising through the ranks to become deputy chief. He retired from the fire service in 1984. During his fire department career he attended many fire schools on his own, both in and out of state, in an effort to become a better firefighter. He was honored to have an article which he had written published in Fire Engineering Magazine, on the subject of tandem pumping.

He was the founding owner of A.A.A. Fire Extinguisher Company, which was started in the basement of his home before he constructed the building still located on the Rodman Road, in Auburn. The business was sold to the Jalbert family and continues in operation at the same location. He then ran a hydraulics repair business for a few years, and following his retirement from the fire department, he worked for FireSafe Equipment, then a division of Maine Oxy, at its initial start-up until 1988. That year he formed Air Tech Company, and for 16 years was involved in the sales and service of breathing air compressors and breathing air testing for fire departments, and industries throughout the state of Maine and into New Hampshire. That business was sold to FireSafe Equipment, Inc. in March of 2004, when he became fully retired due to ill health.

He was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, Post 153. Although not active, he remained a dues paying member of Rabboni Lodge 150, A.F. and A.M., Androscoggin County Shrine Club, Bradford Royal Arch Chapter 9,Dunlap Council 8, Royal and Select Masters, and the Kora Shriners, Lewiston temple. He was a registered Maine Guide in his younger years, and held a private pilot’s license for a few years.

He is survived by his wife, Gloria B. Lamiette, whom he married in Litchfield, on Sept. 8, 1960. They were remarried at St. Patrick’s Church, Lewiston, on May 16, 2003, celebrating their 43 years of marriage. He is also survived by three daughters, Holly Lamiette of Auburn, Wendy Christian of Gardiner, and Jacqueline Nelson of Meridian, Idaho; and seven grandchildren; his only brother-in-law, David L. Beaulieu and his wife, Katherine, of Gardiner; a special niece, Karin Cavallaro and her husband, Tony, of Pennsville, N.J.; as well as two other nieces, Frances Smith of Tennessee, and Donna Reed of Louisiana.

He was predeceased by his only son, Gerard (Gerry) Jr., in Oct., 2006; his parents; two brothers, Harold Jr. and Richard; and a sister, who died in infancy.